A new approach to understanding voter choice with important implications. There is a substantial class of voters who would like to do “good” but ignore important consequences of their attempts to do so—naïve altruists. The book both shows why such a class exists and tests the implications of that group’s behavior in a setting where other voters are self-interested, others are traditionalists, and imitation plays a big role in voter choice. The book also looks at the policy implications of such behavior accepting as desirable, but not fully achievable, the democratic ideal in which sufficiently informed citizens are given equal weight in political choices. Naïve altruists ignore the anti-growth consequences of redistribution from the rich as a class to the poor as a class. That ignorance produces too much of that redistribution in terms of the democratic ideal.

Phillip Nelson has specialized in two fields. The first is information economics in which he has produced seminal work in consumer economics. The second is public choice in which he has written many articles and the book, “Signaling Goodness.” This book melds these two fields producing new insights about voter information problems. He has spent a lifetime teaching graduate courses in these specialties and microeconomics theory at Binghamton University, Columbia University, and the University of Chicago.

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Chronic back and neck pain is a thorny issue that plagues millions living in today’s modern world and has the power to take over a person’s life—not just physically, but also psychologically, emotionally, and physiologically. The good news is that there are effective ways of dealing with chronic pain that allows patients to return to a productive life without undergoing unnecessary surgery. Dr. Jordan Fersel is a board-certified pain specialist who relies on his diverse professional experience to distinguish the differences between acute and chronic pain, scrutinize the accuracy of an MRI scan to diagnose pain, examine the architecture of the spine, explain nerve injuries, differentiate between the various types of arthritis, and offer potential treatment options. Through included case studies and illustrations, pain sufferers will learn there is hope for managing pain through proper diagnosis and a treatment plan tailored to treat individual needs. It’s Not All in Your Head shares guidance from a trusted physician that explores chronic back and neck pain, its sources, and the many treatment options available.

Jordan Fersel, MD, is a board-certified, pain-management fellowship-trained physician who earned a BA in biology from Queens College and an MD degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He has been director of Pain Management Services at Trinitas Medical Center Oncology Unit for several years. Dr. Fersel and his wife, Esty, divide their time between Philadelphia and West Orange, New Jersey.

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This story is in a sense a complex tale that commences at the end. It relates the tale of a developing “rocky” love affair between its two major characters as they each discover their capacity to fall in love with another woman, the charting of which is seen through the eyes of the survivor.

Maggie Cameron is a thirty-something single mother who has already established a moderately successful publishing business in Vancouver, Canada. She is also struggling to cope with the strain of a failing marriage and the needs of her growing daughter. Then into her life enters Carla Green as her young personal assistant.

Carla quickly becomes an invaluable player in Maggie’s business and family life. Then everything moves smoothly for a number of years until the confluence of two major events brings their developing relationship to a climax.

Carla is forced to confront the reemergence of her childhood demons on two fronts when a previous illness brings her mortality into question again. Maggie undertakes to publish a lesbian-focused story by a well-respected novelist under an assumed name. Maggie is deeply worried about the latter, even after Carla offers to play a role in addressing her major concerns. However, it is of even greater concern to both Maggie and her daughter, Stephanie, now in her teens, that Carla’s shattering prognosis will have severe repercussions on their developing comfortable family relationship.

By way of devising a coping strategy, Maggie and Stephanie begin plotting a way to make Carla’s impending death as happy as possible for all concerned. However, Carla seems to be rejecting all their efforts until an opportunity emerges for Stephanie to spend part of her upcoming school holiday in France. After considerable persuasion, Carla finally agrees to accompany them on their planned grand tour of Europe. Hence, although the story is set primarily in Vancouver, Canada, it also incorporates their travels across Europe.

As they all set about arranging for and planning their holiday itinerary, Carla is also trying to address her long-held concerns about her own sexuality. She eventually discloses her fears to Maggie, whose initial reaction is less than positive, particularly as Carla also soon expresses her deep feelings for her boss.

This unexpected development causes Maggie to also attempt an analysis her own deepening feelings for Carla, but before she is able to draw any conclusions, an event immediately preceding their departure seemingly dooms whatever future their relationship might hold.

The saga then proceeds as a mini travelogue covering their adventures in France. Indeed, it is only when Maggie and Carla, having deposited Stephanie with her troublesome father, set off on their own adventure to Italy that they begin to address the changing nature of their relationship.

It is only when they reach the idyllic setting of the small coastal village of Positano that Maggie finally gives in to the perceived pressure from Carla and finally admits to herself that she has irrevocably fallen totally ‘in love’ with Carla. However, more problems emerge as they grapple with the issue of Maggie’s willingness to share her newfound knowledge with Stephanie and the outside world in general.

After she was born in the United Kingdom, Anitaís family moved to Australia when she was still quite young. She studied her BA (sociology/politics) and MA (womenís studies) at Victoriaís Monash University. She met her life partner at age twenty, and they spent thirty-seven years together in their small home in the inner suburbs of Melbourne. They both enjoyed traveling, sailing, and sharing their time with an array of pet cats. Her writing has consisted of short stories, poetry, and articles for professional journals. Following her partnerís death in 2007, this novel finally burst out of its shackles. Her other major pastimes include presenting a weekly program for Melbourne community radio and still traveling whenever possible.

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Inside the Book:

Title: A Reed in the Wind

Author: Thomas Griffith

Publisher: xLibris

Genre: Poetry

Format: Ebook

The book starts out with a very short autobiographical sketch.

The next piece is about lousy relationships. It begins by being about a cat who doesn’t like being a pet. Then a mouse is introduced. He doesn’t like being terrorized by the cat. I do some editorializing here too.

The third piece follows the four seasons. It starts with Spring, and I am in love. Then it moves to Summer, and I am having a hard time meeting the demands reality makes on me. Then comes Fall, and I write about the tragic sense of life. Then Winter, and I begin the long road of accepting and coping with being broken.

The fourth piece is about the first of the 10 LSD trips I took back in the hippie days. Millions of people have taken it, and the hippie sub-culture it spawned has profoundly positively effected our music, social skills, language, dress, literature, etc It really encouraged and facilitated my spiritual development. I heard that some colleges and clinics are experimenting with experiencing it.

The next two pieces are beautiful and my favorites. They embody and personify the mystical state of dreaming.

The talk about the relationship between seeing and dreaming. The next piece talks about the complex and crucial experience of inner space. Very little is known about inner space, but I believe it is the source of all life.

The next piece and the 11th piece are about sex. Sex creates all life on Earth. Fruits, vegetables, eggs, etc are foods which were made by nature to serve a reproductive purpose. People like to imagine sex is as simple as sticking a rod in a tube. But often the simplest things turn out to be the most complicated. Sex has a wonderful side and it has a dark side.

The next piece attempts to start the conversation about how we all are multiple personalities. It is a huge unknown territory. Multiple personality is a common psychiatric diagnosis.

The next piece is melancholy and pastoral musings about life.

The next piece is about sex again. Having a sexual orientation and perspective is a very difficult role to play.

The next piece is about how my teenage friends and I would come together and party.

The next piece has 4 sections: Women, children, men and teenagers. I try to describe the belief systems and purposes of each group.

I have written 2 other books: A Schizophrenic’s Notes and A Way with Heart.

I have taken psychotropic medication for the treatment of schizophrenia everyday for 40 years. I was one of the founders of a mental health provider association that was staffed and run by mental patients. It has a 15 million dollar budget. I left it a few years ago because it had become like the system were trying to transform. I have had 25 jobs, most of them were part-time, all of them were minimum wage. I have volunteered umpteen times. I went to 6 colleges as I moved around. I have read a lot of classic and sacred literature. I fool around with guitar and piano.

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Thomas is giving away a $25 Gift Card!

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By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.

One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one $25 Gift Certificate to the e-retailer of your choice